Arc Raiders: Frozen Trail – New Skill Tree Explained

ARC Raiders is getting a major shake-up with the Frozen Trail update. Along with a new snowy map, players can expect fresh ways to shape their Raider — one of the biggest additions being the new Skill Tree.

So what does it actually change? The Frozen Trail skill tree gives players more room to build around their preferred playstyle. Whether you enjoy rushing into fights or carefully exploring the map, your skill choices can make a real difference.

It also adds another layer to progression. You can focus on abilities that match your usual approach instead of simply following one fixed path, which makes experimenting with different builds a lot more interesting.

In this guide, we'll break down the skill tree changes and explain what players should know before spending their points, along with how the new system fits into Frozen Trail gameplay.

You earn 76 points by leveling from 0 to 75. You can also get up to five bonus points through Expeditions, each costing 600K coins, while missed Expedition points can be recovered for 300K each.

You can't fully max all three trees, though, so you'll need to specialize and spend your points carefully.

Respecs were added with patch 1.7.0, costing 2,000 coins per skill point. That means you can experiment with different builds without being permanently locked into your choices.

The ARC Raiders Skill Tree gives you three different ways to shape your Raider. Open it through the Raider menu, then Skill Tree. From there, you'll find three specializations: Conditioning, Mobility, and Survival.

The ARC Raiders Skill Tree gives you three different ways to shape your Raider. Open it through the Raider menu, then Skill Tree. From there, you'll find three specializations: Conditioning, Mobility, and Survival.

Conditioning focuses on fighting, stamina, and breaching. It helps reduce heavy-gear penalties and makes breaching faster.

Used to the Weight reduces shield movement penalties. Fight or Flight restores stamina when you take combat damage. Proficient Pryer speeds up breaching, while Gentle Pressure reduces noise during the process.

Mobility focuses on stamina and movement, and for many players, this should be the first stop.

Marathon Runner reduces stamina costs while moving and has five ranks. Youthful Lungs increases your stamina reserves. Effortless Roll lowers dodge-roll costs, while Carry the Momentum lets you sprint without stamina after a sprint dodge roll.

Survival centers on looting, carrying more items, and field utility. Agile Croucher acts as the starting skill for this branch, from which you can improve looting speed and carry capacity.

This path suits players who focus on gathering resources and preparing for Expeditions.

The skill tree rework makes skill choices an important part of your Raider's progression. Unlike gear, your Skill Points stay with you after death — dying Topside doesn't take away any points.

That said, your choices still matter. You can change them through a respec, or reset your level and skills entirely by sending your Raider on an Expedition. Any bonus points earned through Expeditions remain yours.

The Skill Tree shapes your basic abilities: stamina, sprint efficiency, carry weight, looting speed, and survival when you're downed.

There's a catch, though — you can't unlock everything across all three branches, and stronger perks require earlier skills first. Spreading your points too widely can hold your build back.

Instead, focus on a path that suits your playstyle. That way, you avoid wasting points and get more value out of every raid.

The respec system lets you rethink your build when your current skills no longer fit your playstyle. You can reset the entire Skill Tree from its menu and get your spent points back.

There's an important catch, though: the reset costs 2,000 coins for every Skill Point you've spent, so resetting a fully developed tree can run you over 150,000 coins. It's worth planning your choices carefully before spending heavily.

You also can't reset just one branch or a single skill — the reset applies to the whole tree. Fixing one small mistake still means starting over from scratch.

There's another option, too. An Expedition provides a complete character reset on its roughly two-month cycle, removing your level, skills, gear, and workshop progress. Use this route only if you want a much bigger fresh start.

Want to shape your best Frozen Trail build around more skills? Expeditions give you a useful way to earn extra Skill Points — each one can provide up to five bonus points, depending on your stash value when you leave.

These points stay with your character even through future Expeditions, so they support your long-term progression.

The system also helps if you missed points earlier. The catch-up option lets you recover missed Skill Points for 300K coins each, half the normal 600K cost. Your coins first count toward current Expedition points, and any remaining amount then applies to missed points.

The Frozen Trail Skill Tree gives Raiders more control over their progression. With three paths, permanent Expedition points, and the respec option, you can shape your build around your playstyle. Choose your skills carefully, and make those extra points count.